Fashion Tea Party Pics!

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted aFashion Tea Party for Stasia Savasuck, a personal shopper and thrift store junkie. Stasia has a unique business model which includes private closet consultations and Fashion Thrift Parties, like the one I hosted. Read more about how Stasia is following her dreams here.  

 The party was awesome, with lots of local gals sharing tea, treats and stories. 

And of course, there were the clothes! If you are looking at these pics and feel sad you couldn't come, you should contact Stasia and host your own party (you get a free oufit for hosting, BTW!)





                       

                                        Everything is better with tea.







Stasia, Personal Thrift Shopper





              

                        Julia, wearing one of Stasia's finds





                                     

                                                     Tessa finds the best pink sweater!





Janet in her new stylish trench.







Beads!!!

Stocking Up!

The Wares

Timberly and friend take a shopping break for tea

Thanks to all who attended our Fashion Tea Party, it was lovely to see old friends and meet some new folks, too~ If you are interested in a closet consult or in hosting your own fashion party, contact Stasia directly at stasiasavasuk@gmail.com.

Yoga & Sailing in the British Virgin Islands

Please welcome guest blogger

Diana Whitney: Yogi, Writer and International Traveling Star!

I love September— golden light pouring like honey over the apple orchards.  Autumn sunlight is a precious elixir.  If I could I’d bottle it and drink it like medicine, store it away to nourish me through the dark winter days to come.

I love September’s crisp nights, brilliant stars, morning mist giving way to warm afternoons. I feel energized by the snap in the air, foretelling new projects and commitments, the excitement of a fresh start.

But if September is my love story, November is a somber drama, full of endings and goodbyes.  Every year I brace myself for the time change, the dark at 5 o’clock like a window slamming shut.  I get the light box out of the basement, go for brisk walks at midday, take my vitamin D, and even consider a higher dose of Lexapro.  My doctor says I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and need to take care not to slip into a light-deprived depression.  Since I’m a yoga teacher, I plan my classes around the seasons and teach and practice more heart-opening postures.  My favorite?  Lying on a block in supported Fish pose to open the chest and the 4^th chakra, one way to prevent the shut-down (physical, emotional) that can happen in winter.

Yoga, exercise, artificial light and vitamin supplements are all well and good, even essential.  But the best antidote for the winter blues is to follow the sun, leave the Northern darkness to bask in tropical heat.  The last time I escaped like this was five years ago (on a family trip to St John with my wonderful and generous mother).  Finally, this year, I’m making it happen again, leading a weeklong YOGA & SAILING RETREAT to the British Virgin Islands!

We still have spots open on the trip, which has just been discounted to $1400.  The all-inclusive rate covers food, drinks, lodging aboard a luxury sailboat, and all yoga instruction.  From November 10-17 we’ll sail the turquoise waters of the BVI and practice vinyasa yoga (all-levels welcome) on the beach every morning.  We’ll travel and sleep on the boat, departing from Tortola and stopping at Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island, Anegada, and other Caribbean jewels.

What would it take to entice you to join us? The BVI offers unparalleled sailing in sheltered seas.  If you like, our captain will give you complimentary lessons– no sailing experience required. You can explore pristine beaches, quiet villages, eclectic shops, luxury resorts, and beachside bars.  I plan to get off the beaten path and hike the lush, green mountains of the islands and snorkel above the magnificent coral reefs teeming with sea life.

If you’re curious, please contact me for more information at  diana@coreflowyoga.com  or go directly to The Sailing Collective to learn more and register for this unique adventure.

This year I’m turning my tropical escape fantasies into reality.  I hope you can join us to soak up the healing sunlight and beat the November blues!

DIANA WHITNEY is a writer and yoga teacher with over 12 years experience teaching dynamic, compassionate yoga to students of all ages and abilities. 

She has taught at the Wanderlust yoga festival and owns CORE FLOW YOGA & SPORT in Brattleboro, VT, where she and her husband Tim Whitney offer classes, workshops, and retreats in vinyasa yoga, core conditioning, rowing, sculling, cross-country skiing, and more. She also pens Spilt Milk,  a funny take on the joys & perils of motherhood.

Thanks Diana for guest blogging today, your trip sounds amazing, way to beat those November Blues!

xo Desha

Thrift Fashion Party!

Hello and how are you today?

I'm excited because this Sunday I'm hosting a fashion party at my house in support of a fellow Fire Starter and personal shopper, Stasia Savasuk. Stasia is a fine example of someone taking their passion and turning it into a business and I LOVE that! If you'd like to join us for some fun and fashion, please RSVP at our Facebook Event Page or send me an email- deshapeacock@hotmail.com

Stasia's Story
My name is Stasia Savasuk.  I've been a thrift shopper all my life, but only recently has it become an obsession of sorts.  I simply can't get enough, and I find myself scouring through jammed racks of color coded shirts and disorganized bins several times a week, at various thrift stores throughout Vermont and New England.  I've come to know, through experience, that if I wait long enough, I will find just about anything that I want at a thrift store, for a mere percentage of the actual retail cost. 

You know how friends will often compliment you on a nice piece of jewelry, nice shoes, or a sweet pair of jeans.  Well, I simply love saying, "Thank you, this entire outfit cost me $9."  I'm not shy about stuff like that.

Well, over the years, friends have asked me to shop for them.  I wasn't much into the idea because I always felt badly if I bought something that they didn't like, which left one of us to deal with the unwanted item.  But after a while, I thought... wait a second, perhaps I COULD do this for people.  If I shopped for lots of people, then it wouldn't matter if somebody didn't like something I purchased, because I could see if somebody else wanted it.  I was onto something.  Perhaps I could be a personal thrift shopper!  I just loved the idea... especially for the many moms I knew that didn't have the means to run over to Anthropolgie or J.Crew to buy $300 worth of new clothing, nor do they have the time, patience or will to do what I do... scour through racks of color coded, sometimes stinky clothing - for that one in a thousand gem.  I don't see it as a chore, but as an adventure.  A thrill.  I've been brought to tears (I'm a little embarrassed to admit) when I've found something at a thrift store that is simply fabulous. 

Say NO to FRUMP!
For years, I've been frumpy.  My frumpy-ness went through the roof after my daughter was born.  I've worn clothes that didn't fit right, were all the wrong color, and really never fit my style.  The style that I wanted was WAY out of my reach fiscally.  So, my style became whatever I could find on the sale rack at Old Navy or if I was lucky, GAP.  But then, I started thrifting in earnest.  I now wear brands and styles that I've always loved, that feel perfectly ME.  I only buy things that are exactly what I want... the right color, the right fit, the right style, the right price.  Although I may have to search high and low for the right piece - I know it's out there, it's cheap, and it just needs to be found.  There is something to feeling good in the clothes you wear.  It puts a little bounce in your step.  And as Danielle Laporte says in her book, The Fire Starter Sessions, "When you feel good, you act smarter."  And who doesn't want to act a little smarter!

Good for the Environment, Good for YOU
You combine this with my ecology background, and thrifting makes perfect sense.  Just about everything I own is second hand... right down to the furniture in my house.  I recycle/upcycle, I compost, I only buy second hand... my global "stuff" impact is minimal, and that feels good.  I feel proud!  AND - at the end of the day, I've got a little room in my budget to support local non-profits that are doing good work in my community.  And, that feels good too.  

Overcoming Self-Doubt
First came the idea.  Then came the self doubt.  Is the idea a good one?  Will others think it's silly?  I can't do this... I'm just a mom and wife with a regular old job and I don't do stuff like this.  I'm ordinary.  But, it's been a year and I can't shake the idea.  Every time I think about it, I get excited!  What if...

What If? The Art of Imagination

What if I became a personal shopper?  What would it look like?  Would I do closet consultations with clients, where I find out what they want/need/look good in - and shop from there?  Would I create style menus?  Would I shop for men, too?  Would I just have folks over to my house to check out my inventory when they're feeling like they need new clothes?  

Start Small

I started small, with a fashion party at my home. I priced and displayed all the clothing, invited over a bunch of girl friends, served food and drink - and celebrated! I called the event, Fashion Friday.  I received great encouragement and feedback. And now, I'm having my second fashion party, and it's being hosted by Desha Peacock on September 23rd.  I've been shopping for months, and have bundles of clothes to sell. I focus on high quality clothing that is in excellent condition. Brands like:  J.Crew, Banana Republic, Patagonia, GAP, Horny Toad, JOE'S jeans, Isis, Seven for All Man Kind, Ann Taylor, Lucky.  The list goes on.  

Now, I'm in the process of getting serious, and am starting to answer some of my own questions of HOW.  

If you would like me to personally thrift shop for you, or would be interested in hosting your own fashion party, or have any ideas for me, you may contact me at stasiasavasuk@gmail.com. 

How do you say DESHA?

The Desha Show Teaser from Desha Peacock on Vimeo.

Got 37 seconds? Watch my new teaser for my show, and once in for all- learn how to say "Desha"!

xo

Dealing with "D"

Today I'd like to talk about the "D" word- big, ugly DISAPPOINTMENT. It's an enemy of HOPE, my darling friend. "D" sucks the life out of HOPE and tells her that she's wasting her time b/c "D" won last time, or the last few times.

What the hell am I talking about? 

Ok, let me just tell you. I have a girl crush on Marie Forleo and she had a contest to win a spot to her awesome event: RICH, HAPPY and HOT, where 300 savvy and creative women entrepreneurs get together to be inspired, network and party. It's right up my alley, expect for the $2000 fee. But when I found out about her contest to win a spot for free, I was determined to win. I made this video and prayed over it.  I imagined I'd win. I said I'd win. And then... I didn't win. Dis- a-ppoint-ment moves in. Hope despairs. I know,  it's just a contest, but it's not just the contest- it's that when you go for your dreams, you work hard and you HOPE it's all worth it. When those little things you pray for don't come, worry and doubt trickle in and you start to wonder... should I  keep going??

The fact is that giving up is not an option. So, how do you deal with "D" and make her shut the f. up, so you can get back on track? That's what I'm working on today.

Step 1: Go ahead and be disappointed and sad for a short spell, no more than one day though. I gave it half a day today. I was going to starve myself and lay on the couch all day long, but then I got really hungry and about 9am I made cheese toast and bacon with Tea. Starting to feel better...

Step 2: Read something funny. I read Woodbird today about how my friend's little girl screamed at her in the parking lot and called her DISGUSTING- and although it sounds awful, it made me laugh out loud b/c her daughter is an angel, but shit happens and we all get upset sometimes, don't we?

Step 3: Be grateful. It's hard to be grateful when you are disappointed. It's also really hard to be disappointed, sad, or pissed-off when you immerse yourself in gratitude. As soon as you start to say, "thank you for my health, my ability to walk, see, taste, smell... thank  you for my loving family, my home, my passion..." You see? You can't help but start to feel better.

Step 4: Be happy for those who won. What??? Seriously? Yes. I watched all the videos of the winners. I send them blessings. It's hard to imagine, but maybe they needed to win more than me :)

Step 5: Keep up the good work. Dive back in and remember this: for every person that has succeeded, they could each write a long list of why their dream was impossible- but the difference is they didn't linger there and neither will I.

Do you have a story of disappointment and how you overcame it? Do tell.

Beauty is

a chocolate cake

a vintage dress

a place of one's own

fresh flowers

 

tea

 

sharing it with someone you love.

Marlboro College is having a contest for HS students to make something beautiful and say what it is. It's the Beautiful Mind Challenge. Winners receive cashola and a chance to see these green hills.

Photos by Desha Peacock and Elle James

Where Vintage Meets Modern: Kokuun

As featured on My Little Brattleboro...

Brattleboro is great for many reasons, and now it's even better with the addition of Kokuun, an eclectic little shop in downtown Bratt. The shop features vintage home decor, clothing, and modern hand -painted furniture by shop owner, Sarah Johnson.

Kokuun will be open during Gallery Walk, this Friday on September 8, along with a handful of other art studios on the top floor of 22 High Street, the same building that houses the Brattleboro School of Dance, third floor (it's worth the climb).

Don't live in Vermont? No worries, everything you see here is in her cutey pie Etsy shop- Kokuun.

Stop by Kokuun this Friday and say hello!

Garden Design by Dot

Dot's Shade Garden

Today, on My Little Brattleboro, I would like to introduce Dot Lenhart, gardener extraordinaire! I love home architecture and it's amazing how a garden can change the aesthetic of your exterior. I've been walking past Dot's home garden for the last few years, admiring it and watching it grow (often quite jealous). Gardening is a form of art, and Dot's landscape is a fine example of how a garden can enhance the beauty of your home. While summer is simmering down, it's a good time to think about your garden design for next year, so contact Dot if you need some great advice. I plan to!

Dot, I often walk by your house so I can see your gorgeous garden. What led you to garden professionally?

Plants have been my biggest continual interest since I was a small child. Once my children grew to school age, I was searching for a career. Friends and professionals alike encouraged me to put my passion for gardening into a business, and I have been in the business for about 20 years now. 

What's your favorite thing about your own garden/ garden design?

Well, I have two favorite areas of my current gardens. I have been in love with my shade garden since I created it, even though it presents me with some challenges. It's wonderful how our gardens teach us. Secondly, I adore the shrub garden I am creating in front of my house. I have always focused primarily on perennials, so this garden is refreshing to me. Okay, third area - the Day Lily border!

Day lily Border

What colors, textures inspire you in outdoor design?

I used to be a 'pastel person' as far as gardening, so it's interesting how I've moved into saturated colors. I like to mix up the textures for interest so that the garden doesn't have to rely on color alone to be attractive. I've also learned the value of white in a garden.

You are starting a new outdoor design business, right? What are your services and where can we find you?



Front Garden off the Porch

I am indeed starting a new business, Dot Lenhart Garden Design and Consultation. I am offering garden design and consultation services, garden coaching for people who want to learn about gardening, and classes/seminars for groups interested in lectures on garden topics. 

I can be reached at 802-257-6917, or len1922@aol.com.

Do you love Dot's garden? Let her know in the comments below~